What are groups of African animals called?

African Animals – Group Names From A – Z

Most people usually know that a group of lions is called a PRIDE, that a family of elephants form a HERD, or that ants can be found in a COLONY.

However, do you know the name for a group of giraffe? Or even a group of hippos? How about a group of rhinos?

Not as easy, huh? 🙂

Learning these names will make you seem like an aficionado on safari. And there are some very humorous collective nouns in there. It’s a tower of giraffe, a bloat of hippos, and a crash of rhinos! I’m not kidding you.

Africa’s animals have the more interesting group names. There’s even a dazzle and a sounder to impress your friends with.

Mongoose

Monkeys

Porcupines

Rhinos

A crash or herd of rhinos (crash of rhinos has to be my favorite of all African animals group names 🙂 )

Seals

A colony, herd, harem, trip or rookery of seals.

OR

A pod of seals (small herd).

Squirrels

A dray, colony or scurry of squirrels (though squirrels are seldom seen in a group).

E.g. A dray of ground squirrels.

Warthogs

Warthogs live in groups called sounders.

Whales

A school, herd, grind or gam of whales.

OR

A pod of whales (small school).

Wild Dogs

A pack of wild dogs.

Wildebeest

A herd of wildebeest.

OR

An implausibility of wildebeest (or gnus).

Wolves

A pack, rout or route (when in movement) of wolves (e.g. Ethiopian wolves).

Zebras

A dazzle, herd or zeal of zebras (e.g. Burchell’s zebras).

Zebra crossing, you say? Perhaps…but not quite a correct name to use when describing Africa’s animals.

African Animals – Group Names for Birds

Birds (in general)

A flock, flight, or parcel of birds.

OR

A pod of birds (small flock).

Buzzards

A wake of buzzards.

Cormorants

A gulp or flight of cormorants.

Cranes

A herd, seige or sedge of cranes.

Crows

A murder of crows.

OR

A hover, muster, or parcel of crows.

OR

A horde of crows.

OR

A parliament of crows.

Doves

A flight, dule, dole, piteousness or plague of doves.

A pitying (of turtle doves).

Ducks

A raft, paddling or bunch of ducks (on water).

OR

A team, brace, bed, flight or flock of wild ducks (in flight).

OR

A badling or flush of ducks.

Eagles

An aerie of eagles.

OR

A congregation of eagles.

OR

A convocation of eagles.

Flamingos

A stand of flamingos.

OR

A flamboyance of flamingos (another of my favorite African animal group names!)

Geese

A gaggle or flock of geese.

OR

A plump of geese (on water).

OR

A skein, team or wedge of geese (in the air).

Guinea Fowl

A confusion of guinea fowl.

OR

A rasp of guinea fowl.

Herons

A scattering, seige or sedge of herons.

Ostriches

A flock of ostriches.

Owls

A parliament of owls.

OR

A stare or wisdom of owls.

OR

A study of owls.

Parrots

A pandemonium or company of parrots.

Pelicans

A squadron of pelicans.

OR

A pod or scoop of pelicans.

Penguins

A rookery or colony of penguins.

Pigeons

A flock or flight of pigeons.

OR

A kit of pigeons (flying together).

Sparrows

A host of sparrows.

Starlings

A murmuration of starlings.

OR

A filth of starlings.

OR

A chattering of starlings.

OR

An affliction of starlings.

Storks

A mustering of storks.

Swallows

A flight of swallows.

Swans

A bevy, game, herd, team, or wedge (flying in a “V” formation) of swans.

Vultures

A committee or venue of vultures.

Africa’s Animals – Group Names for Reptiles and Amphibians

Cobras

A quiver of cobras.

Crocodiles

A congregation or nest of crocodiles.

OR

A bask or float of crocodiles.

Frogs

An army or colony of frogs.

OR

A knot of frogs.

Snakes

A den, bed, pit or slither of snakes.

OR

A nest or knot of snakes.

OR

A brood of snakes (family group).

Tortoises

A creep of tortoises.

Turtles

A bale, dole or nest of turtles.

OR

A turn of turtles.

Vipers

A nest or brood of vipers.

African Animals – Don’t Forget the Fish

Fish (in general)

A shoal, draft, nest or school of fish.

OR

A run of fish (in motion).

Sharks

A shiver or school of sharks.

Africa’s Invertebrates

Ants

A colony of ants.

Bees

A grist, hive, swarm, drift or bike of bees.

OR

A cluster, erst or nest of bees.

Caterpillars

An army of caterpillars.

Crabs

A cast of crabs.

Flies

A cloud, hatch, business or swarm of flies.

Grasshoppers

A cloud or swarm of grasshoppers.

Insects (in general)

A swarm of insects.

Mosquitoes

A cloud of mosquitoes.

OR

A scourge of mosquitoes.

Spiders

A cluster of spiders.

Termites

A brood, colony, nest or swarm of termites.

What Is Your Favorite Animal Group Name?

A scourge of mosquitoes, a parliament of owls, and an implausibility of wildebeest – they are just some of my other favorites. Go on safari and when you spot any of the animals you can correctly shout out their collective name!